New German-Irish initiative to bring jobs and investment to Ireland

11.03.2010

Ireland is firmly back on the way to recovery and remains a good place for German companies to invest in and create jobs.

That's the message that a group of key German business leaders heard at an event hosted by the German Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Frankfurt in March 2010. Ireland's reputation in Germany has been severely impacted by news of the economic crisis.

"There are 300 German companies in Ireland employing more than 20,000 workers, including world leaders like Siemens, SAP, Deutsche Bank and Allianz. By reminding German business leaders about Ireland's positives, we hope to retain that existing commitment and lay the foundations for future growth", Chamber chief executive Ralf Lissek said at the event.

Economist and broadcaster Marc Coleman, who worked in Frankfurt with the ECB, said the initiative came at the right time "The presence of Bundesbank President Axel Weber in Dublin today and the article by Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman in this morning's papers shows the huge extent of global comment and interest regarding Ireland. We have to get the right message out there so our image isn't distorted by excessive negativity and spin and we'll be telling Germany about the tough action Ireland is taking to turn its situation around, and how our economy is forecast to grow twice as fast as the euro area by 2012".

As well as Ralf Lissek and Marc Coleman, speakers at the event included Ralph Biedinger of IDA Ireland, and German-Irish businessman Helmut Clissmann.